Let me tell you about a boy called Paul.

You know how some names just follow you? I once knew so many Daryl’s that I gave them all adjectives before their name – good Daryl, bad Daryl, my favorite… You know how it goes. Any way, it’s kind of the same with boys called Paul. Let me tell you about the first one though – Paul Hester.

I’ve touched on this before. In fact, I tried writing this very blog at least twice yesterday but never got around to finishing it and then when I did, it just didn’t feel right, so here I am, trying again.

Paul was my first celebrity crush. I was five. I dreamed that I’d grow up and he’d teach me how to play drums. One of those things happened. Sadly, at five, no one mentioned that because I’m Maltese, we don’t really get to grow up. I got to 5.3 and stopped.

For those that don’t know, Paul happened to play drums with Crowded House and Split Enz. He wasn’t just a drummer, though. He was THE drummer. He was so full of life- he was cheeky and brash and warm and outrageous. Something that shy little me admired and enjoyed. I’d be staring at my feet and he’d be running around like a kid on red cordial. He was hilarious.

It’s fair to say that Paul is the reason I play drums. The first instruments I picked up were classical, purely out of the fact that I didn’t have access to other instruments, but web then all I wanted to do was to drum. The first time I got behind a kit, it felt like the most natural thing on earth to me. It still does now. If ever I’m having a shit day, if I have the kind of frustration that would normally cause me to get into a fight with some poor, unsuspecting sod I sit behind the drum kit and suddenly, I feel better. Any concerns? I lock myself away in my music room until the storm passes. There have been other drummers that I’ve admired (Max Weinberg, Paul Wheeler) but it all comes back to Paul. I wouldn’t have gone near the sticks in the first place if he didn’t make it look like so much fun.

To this day, I remember the last time we were together. I remember his joy, him making some stupid comment about smoking a joint on stage, him talking about new projects that he wanted to focus on and making me laugh with outlandish observations that later turned out to be true. I often wonder what he’d say if he was around today. He’d probably laugh at my nose bleeds and tell me I always over thought. I think he’d laugh at a few things, actually. Till we meet again Hess, I’ll be behind the kit.